The start of the war is generally held to beat dawn on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German troops and tanks raided the Polish countryside, destroying everything in their path. A little over an hour later, Nazi dive-bombers were attacking the civilians of Poland’s capital city of Warsaw. The bombing destroyed cities, railroads, and military bases. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.

A German air patrol fly’s over Poland

Polish oil and gas tanks are set aflame by the German bombardment at Westerplatte